All-wing cargo pack



May 12, 1953 J. K. NoRTHRoP ET A1. 2,638,291

ALL-WING CARGO PACK Filed July 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 12, 1953 J. K. NoRTHRoP ET AL 2,538,291 Y ALL-WING CARGO PACK Filed July 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NN WN Mw. E NN -,....m..||.........,.l|.... w W fr ...MH R 0..... h .,r -n....lHHn I-- HHHIQJNJIM w am ew.-- |-l v w NN.

May 12, 1953 J. K. NORTHROP ET AL.

ALL-WING CARGO PACK Filed July 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVNTOQS! JOHN K. NOlT/-RP Tue/n. PAra/vrdrronA/r May 12, 1953 J. K. NoRTHRoP ET AL ALL-WING CARGO PACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 17, 1950 May 12, 1953 J. K. lNORTHROF ET AL ALL-WING CARGO PACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17, 1950 Patented May 12, 1953 ALL-WING CARGO PACK John K. Northrop, Hawthorne, Meyer Fis'hben, West Los Angeles, and Donald B. Smith, North Hollywood, Calif., `assignors to Northrop Aircraft, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of `California n Application July 17, 1950, Serial No. 174,204

3 Claims.

This invention relates to airplanes, and, more particularly, to a tailless airplane specically designed for the transportation of cargo, the cargo preferably .being in packets of a standard size.

In tailless or all-wing airplanes of relatively large size, such as ones embodying the principles setv forth in U. S. Patent No. 2,406,506 to J. K. Northrop, a central space is obtainable between the wing panels for crew and load distribution as desired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an all-wing airplane having the required space and provisions in `this central section for eiciently handling cargo in the form of loaded packages of various densities.

In conventional present-day cargo airplanes, loading is accomplished either through a fuselage side door or end doors and ramps, thus requiring special handling equipment between the transporting vehicle and the nal carrying position in the airplane. Another object of this invention is to provide an all-wing` cargo aircraft in which the pre-packed cargo Vis loadedA from truck to nal cargo hold position in only one straight-line operation.

It is still another object ofthe presentV invention to provide an all-wing ycargo airplane having afgeometry which permits carrying cargo paoloages and other vuseful loads in various combina'- tions` of weight .and position without adversely aiecting the airplane balance. Other objects andfeatures of advantage will be `noted in the description of Ia, specific embodiment forming the main part of this specification.

Briefly, our invention comprises a modified plan-form all-wing airplane having swept-back wingv panels and a center section extending forward and aft from the wingroot chord, this center section having large, individual cargo holds provided at the bottom lwith access doors which uncover entirely veach cargo hold. The airplane'is so designed that any standard` truck and trailer vcan be driven straight vunder a cargo hold and a loaded cargo package lifted directly into Athe airplane. Airplane-mounted hoisting and tie down equipment is yprovided which makes it possible to perform four such 1oading operations in a matter of minutes. A substantial additional volume is provided for loose cargov or passengers.

This invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, shown by way of illustration and not limitation, wherein:

Figure l is a vpartial cut-away plan view of 4one through 8-8, respectively, in Figur-e 1.

- Figure 9 is a side view looking toward the center'of the airplane from the outboard side of the left-hand engine, as indicated by line 9-9 in Figure l.

Figure 10 is a phantom perspective view ofthe rear of the center section, showing the arrangement 'oi four cargo packs therein.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the airplane of Figure l on the ground, showing a trailer with cargo pack in loading position under one of the forward cargo holds.

Figure 12 is a flight perspective view of the same airplane.

Figure 13 is a perspective view oi a typical hoisting arrangement for one cargo pack, showing the 'cargo in loaded position lin the airplane.

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly sectional, taken where indicated 'bythe circular line I4 in Figure '7, showing one of the locking means for locking the cargo packs in place. V

'Referring rst to Figure v1 for a detailed description of a prefer-red embodiment of this lnventon, an all-wing airplane l having sweptbac'k outer wing panels 2 and stub wing sections 3 is provided with an elongated center section ffl. In the forward center section portion is provided a crew compartment 5 projecting forward of 'the wing leading edgebut not necessarily projecting higher than the normal wing section at the airplane center line. At the rear of the center section 4, a tail cone 6 extends aft from the wing trailing edge and is substantially wider than Vthe crew compartment 5, but about the same height.

The stub wing sections '3 have a thicker and deeper dimension at the airplane center line than a straight inward extension of the outer wing panels would provide. This gives a sufficient cargo space height so that ample room is available for the maximum load which the airplane is capable of carrying. Operational equipment, such as engines l, main landing gear 9, fuel tanks I0, and the like, are housed in the stub wing sections 3, while a nose landing gear Il is mounted under the crew compartment il.

The main load-bearing structure of the airplane comprises a front spar l2 and a rear .spar Hl extending laterally across the center section 4 and through the stub wing sections 3. The front spar I2 continues out to the wing tips. The rear spar I4 ends between the stub wing sections 3 and the outer wing panels 2, and loads from an outer wing spar I5 are transferred to the rear spar I4 by longitudinal and lateral bulkhead members I6. A central truss I1 on the longitudinal center line of the airplane is also provided, this truss forming the primary load v bearing member, and upon which the nose gear II acts. all the way through the tail cone 6.

Between the front and rear spars I2 and I4 are n located two large cargo holds 2U and 2|, one on each immediate side of thev central truss I1..

Similarly, two more cargo holds 22 and 23 are located just aft of the rear spar I4. These cargo holds occupy the majority of center section vol- The central truss I1 does not extend -to travel with the cargo pack 32. The locked position of the linkage is shown in solid lines, and

the unlocked position is lightly shaded for clarity of the illustration. The cable hanger 44 is offset .longitudinally from the linkage 41 and lug 52.

The linkage is unlocked by a release cable 54 when the cargo is to be lowered. A stii compresume, and each are designed to hold an 8 by 8 by foot cargo package within the center section 4. The center section, therefore, extends above and below the wing outline aft of the maximum wing thickness, as shown in Figures 2 through 8. The rear two cargo holds 22 and 23 extend partially into the tail cone 6, as further shown in Figure 10.

Useful space for additional cargo or several passengers is also available on all four sides of the "main cargo space. As indicated in Figure 1, seats 24 for a total of 28 passengers may be provided in the left and right stub wing sections 3 and in the center section 4 forward of the cargo holds 20 and 2 I, or these spaces may be designed for carrying loose cargo 25, including approximately 900 cubic feet in the tail cone f6. Normal crew and passenger entrance is in the nose wheel bay through a nose gear door 26, as shown in Figure 9. For loading access to the loose cargo 25, a cargo hold door 21 (Figure 13) may be provided in the outboard wall of each of the four main holds, although a bottom door 29 (Figure 1) is preferably employed for the stub wing sections 3. In the tail cone II, a side door 30 is used (Figure 9). These are in addition to the nose gear door 26, which is used in either the passenger or all-cargo configuration.

Clearance between the bottom of the airplane and the ground is approximately 12 feet, thus enabling any standard truck and trailer 3l (Figure 11) with a cargo pack 32 to be driven under any of the cargo holds, after two hinged panels 34 and 35 covering the hold have been opened. The cargo pack 32 is then hoisted straight into its hold by means of cables 36 operated by built-in hoisting equipment in the airplane, and the hinged panels 34 and 35 are closed to restore the smooth wing contour.

A typical hoisting arrangement is shown in r.Fig-- ure 13. Here, a longitudinal drumassembly 31 is mounted near the top of the stub wing section just outboard of the center section 4. Six cables 36 are fastened to individual sections of this drum assembly 31, and the cables 36 lead over pulleys 39 located in the space just above the cargo hold 2l to descend vertically to attachment points near the bottom of the cargo pack 32. An electric motor and brake unit 4I! is connected to a drum shaft 4I to operate the drum 31 and raise or lower all six cables 33 simultaneously. A seperate hoist assembly is provided for each of the four holds, and operating power is supplied through the airplanes electrical system, either directly or by means of an external power receptacle.

At the six attachment points on the cargo pack 32 (Figure 14), a slotted hanger44 is prosion spring 55 acts to hold the linkage in either the locked and unlocked positions, with three linkage points located just beyond dead center in both positions.

As the cargo pack trips the lock and continues upwardly a short distance, the support member 50 enters the recess 5I and a limit switch 5B, also fixed in the wing structure, is opened as the linkage snaps into final locked position. This limit switch 55 is connected in the hoisting motor circuit (not shown) so that the upward motion is automatically halted when the cargo pack is up and locked. The threaded cable ttings 4B are previously adjusted for proper cable length to lock all support members substantially simultaneously.

In the particular airplane shown herein, the two engines 1 are of the gas turbine type, each delivering 12,000 shaft horsepower to drive pusher propellers 51, although more engines of less power can be employed instead. With a wing span of 172 feet, the empty weight of the airplane is 101,349 pounds, and the maximum gross weight is 206,000 pounds. In the all-cargo version, the total cargo volume is 6,340 cubic feet, of which 3,600 cubic feet is the net cargo hold volume. With an average cargo density of about 10 pounds per cubic foot for a full load, a trip length of 11500 statute miles is possible, at a direct operating cost of less than three and -one-half cents per ton-mile. Cargo densities on the order of 20 pounds per cubic foot can be handled for shorter trips. These figures give one example of what can be accomplished with lthe general design of the present invention.

The center of gravity of the airplane I generally lies approximately at point P, as shown in Figure l. The four cargo holds are grouped so closely around this point that any one of the four cargo packs may be completely omitted without shifting the center of gravity longitudinally beyond its maximum limits.

By providing an airplane specially designed to accommodate loaded cargo packs of the type described, cornbination truck-railairplane methods of cargo movement are made more efficient, and with a minimum of ground handling, thus resulting in high aircraft utilization and low costs.

The iiight controls of the airplane above described are similar to those used on the large all-wing airplane of the patent referred to and comprise, as shown in Figures 1 and 12, a pair oi' wing tip trim flaps 60 having separable portions Il to create unilateral drag for directional control, large elevons 62, one on each outer wing panel 2, and landing aps 63 on either side of the propeller fairings. Fixed vertical ns 64 may be provided to improve the directional stability. The cruising speed of the airplanes built in accordance with the present invention will, of course, vary with installed engine power, but will be in the neighborhood of 400 M. P. H. or above.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modication in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing .any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with -the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedy to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications Within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tailless all-Wing cargo airplane comprising swept-back Wings, .a center section extending aft from the trailing edge of said Wings at the fore-and-aft center line of said airplane, said center section merging smoothly into the adjacent Wing structure and having a height equal to the maximum wing thickness at said center line,

a main structural bulkhead assembly in the vertical plane at said center line from which said wings are supported, front and rear Wing spars crossing said center section laterally at right angles to said bulkhead assembly, and structurally connected to said bulkhead along vertical lines, said bulkhead and said spars defining a plurality of rectangular adjacent cargo holds in said center section, said cargo holds being located to the rear of each of said spars, on both sides of said bulkhead, and extending vertically for a majority of said center section height, and access doors mounted in the bottom of said centersection to expose substantially the complete volume of all said cargo holds when said doors are open.

2. In a tailless all-Wing cargo airplane having swept-back Wings, the structural combination comprising a center section extending aft from the trailing edge of said wings at the fore-andaft center line of said airplane, said center section merging =smoothly into the .adjacent Wing structure and having a height equal to the maximum Wing thickness at said center line, a main structural bulkhead assembly in the vertical plane at said center line from which said Wings are supported, front and rear Wing spars crossing said center :section laterally at right angles to said bulkhead assembly, and structurally connected to said bulkhead along vertical lines, said bulkhead and said spars dening a plurality of rectangular adjacent cargo holds in said center section, said cargo holds being located to the rear o1" each of said spars, on both sides of said bulkhead, and extending vertically for a majority of said center section height, and access doors mounted in the bottom of said center section to expose substantially the complete volume of all said cargo holds when said doors are open.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said cargo holds is proportioned to contain one cargo pack of such size as to fit a standard truck trailer bed, said airplane having landing gear assemblies arranged to hold said airplane at a sufficient height from the ground to enable a truck loaded with said cargo pack to drive beneath any of said cargo holds.

JOHN K. NORTI-IROP. MEYER FISHBEIN. DONALD B. SMITH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,077,910 Thomson Apr. 20, 1937 2,224,641 Burnelli Dec. 10, 1940 2,367,538 Sullivan Jan. 16, 1945 2,380,290 Burnelli July 10, 1945 2,406,506 Northrop Aug. 27, 1946 2,415,975 Thomson Feb. 18, 1947 2,463,346 Akerman Mar. 1, 1949 2,514,045 Gardenhire July 4, 1950 

